Honoring top senior female athletes

After a standout career with the Bellmore-Merrick swim program, Calhoun grad Gabbie Toback is headed to Columbia University.

Kathy Leistner/Herald

By Andrew McClure

Now that the 2012-13 school year is over, it’s time to unveil the Herald’s Top 20 female athletes, listed alphabetically, nominated by readers.

Gianna Cilluffo (East Rockaway)The three-sport athlete earned a program-high 22 victories in the circle, leading the Lady Rocks to the program’s 10th Nassau softball championship. Cilluffo, who earned All-County and All-State honors, was also one of the team’s top offensive threats. She led the team with seven home runs and batted .490. She will play at the College of St. Rose.

Danielle Cutuli (East Meadow)It took a few years of being bridesmaids, but the Lady Jets, led by Cutuli, earned the program’s first-ever Long Island softball championship this spring. The six-year varsity player batted .479 as a senior, and knocked in 17 runs while scoring 25. The slick-fielding shortstop will stay local and play for Adelphi University.

Woodlyn Daniel (Oceanside)Despite playing in the toughest conference in the county, and facing defenses designed to limit her scoring, Daniel averaged over 17 points per game as a senior and earned All-County honors. Daniel, who will be off to Harvard University in the fall, finished her career as the most prolific scorer in program history with 876 points.

Katlyn Dempsey (Sewanhaka)On the basketball court, Dempsey was considered a key role player who did all the little things that don’t show up in the box score. On the lacrosse field, she filled the box score with gaudy numbers. She scored 65 goals as a senior, including a pair of eight-goal games. The All-Conference honoree is bound for the University of Bridgeport’s lacrosse program.

Val DeNapoli (Hewlett)The three-sport athlete was a solid performer for Hewlett’s soccer and basketball teams, but DeNapoli left her mark on the lacrosse field. She scored 48 goals and added 10 assists as a senior, and earned All-County honors for the third consecutive season. Her seven-goal effort led the Lady Bulldogs to a 14-13 victory over Lynbrook. DeNapoli will play lacrosse at SUNY-Binghamton.

Sid Tanenbaum, who lived in Woodmere and owned a metal-stamping shop in Far Rockaway, where he was known more for his charitable ways than his two-handed set shot, has been honored for the past 30 years with a basketball tournament that raises scholarship money for students in the Five Towns.